This story is told from the perspective of several characters and in multiple timelines. The reader will need to pay close attention to ensure they know who is speaking and if they are in the present or past as this will impact their understanding of the plot. Blaze is a tortured soul and this makes him outstanding. The plot is well designed with no holes and in the end gives the reader all the answers. The noir setting is divine and the characters fit nicely. Overall this is a good book to read.

Gosh. I think this is either a you love it or you just can't get into it book. I'm in the latter group.

Very dark and creepy and so many words! I really liked the blurb and I do like thrillers and mysteries, but just not this one. I'm not sure if the author was trying too hard or just thought people would really like the wordiness of this book. I seemed to lose track of the people in the book due to the descriptions of everything else.

I'm a book finisher, always. This one almost broke my streak!

"Blood and Mascara" by Colin Krainin is an engaging noir mystery set in the gritty backdrop of Washington, DC, in 1997. The novel introduces us to Bronze Goldberg, a private detective dealing with a turbulent past and a present filled with danger and deceit. The story kicks off with Bronze's routine job of trailing a cheating spouse, which quickly spirals into a complex web of murder and political intrigue.

Bronze is a character straight out of a classic noir film – a former journalist turned private eye, haunted by his past and struggling with alcoholism. His assignment to follow the enigmatic Carolyn lands him in the middle of a murder investigation involving an up-and-coming congressman and a relentless assassin. The plot thickens as Bronze's path crosses with his eccentric landlord, Iris Margaryan, a romance novelist whose fascination with Bronze may hold the key to unraveling his troubled history.

The novel’s strongest suit is its atmospheric setting and character development. Krainin paints a vivid picture of a city trying to recover from its violent past, with Bronze embodying the city's raw, wounded spirit. The secondary characters, including the femme fatale Carolyn and the obsessive Iris, add depth and intrigue to the narrative. Iris, in particular, shines as a unique and compelling character whose chapters provide a refreshing contrast to Bronze's dark and brooding perspective.

However, the book is not without its flaws. The pacing can be uneven, especially in the first half, where the narrative often gets bogged down by Bronze's philosophical and introspective musings. These detours, while offering insight into Bronze's psyche, sometimes feel excessive and disrupt the flow of the story. Additionally, the mystery's development relies heavily on withholding information from the reader, which can be frustrating and make the plot feel convoluted at times.

Despite these issues, "Blood and Mascara" delivers a satisfying noir experience with its gritty tone, well-drawn characters, and a plot that keeps you guessing. It's a promising debut for Krainin, showcasing his ability to craft a dark, intricate tale. Fans of classic noir and crime fiction will find much to appreciate in this book, even if it doesn't fully transcend the genre's conventions.

I read lots of crime dramas and thrillers, but this is my first 'noir' novel, set in the late 80's to late 90's. Bronze is a drunk PI who's been sober for awhile now after making some terrible life decisions. He lives in Iris' basement apartment, a bit of an agreement between them that she can use his life as research for her next novel. But, when the men connected to a woman he's following for work start dying things quickly begin to unravel. The 'assassin' is working his way through his list of targets, and if Bronze doesn't keep his head on his shoulders and away from the alcohol he may find himself on the target list.
Well written, with a plot line that although bouncing back and forth between Bronze's memories and current events kept me interested. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the noir genre.

This tightly plotted noir hits all the right notes. There is a scruffy private investigator with a past and a weak spot for beautiful women. There is a violent murderer on the loose. And it all happens in the dark days of the late 1990s in Washington, DC.

While some of the women are fairly flat femme fatales, Bronze, the detective, has an ally in his resourceful landlord, Iris, a romance novelist with a deadline she is avoiding. The political intrigue is spot on and the characters are memorable.

I enjoyed the twists, pace and atmosphere of this novel and would recommend it for anyone looking for a great noir.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pulplit for the advance review copy.

Such an intriguing and thought-provoking read! I truly enjoyed all the twists and turns through the narration right to the end.

Thank you NetGalley for my advance copy.

Seems like a 50's noir...lots of interesting characters; easy to follow. The political intrigue seems legit. Recommend for those liking thrillers.

Thank you to NetGalley and pulplit for this ARC!

"Blood and Mascara" by Colin Krainin is a thrilling and darkly captivating novel that expertly blends elements of mystery, horror, and psychological suspense. The story follows Ivy Carter, a makeup artist who becomes entangled in a series of gruesome murders that seem eerily connected to her work in the glamorous yet cutthroat world of high fashion.

Krainin's writing is sharp and evocative, painting a vivid picture of the contrasting worlds of beauty and brutality. Ivy is a compelling protagonist, with her unique perspective and strong determination driving the narrative forward. Her journey through the twisted events is both gripping and emotionally resonant, as she navigates through layers of deceit and danger to uncover the truth.

The plot is intricately woven, filled with unexpected twists and turns that keep readers on the edge of their seats. Krainin skillfully builds tension and suspense, maintaining a relentless pace that makes the novel hard to put down. Themes of identity, obsession, and the darker side of human nature are explored with depth and nuance, adding complexity to the story.

Overall, "Blood and Mascara" is a riveting read that will appeal to fans of psychological thrillers and dark mysteries. Colin Krainin delivers a chilling and engrossing tale that leaves a lasting impression, making it a standout addition to the genre.

This is a dark mystery with graphic scenes of violence and mention of rape. That being said, those scenes are essential to the book and not just gratuitous violence. It ends up being an excellent mystery/thriller. It’s a book about a recovering alcoholic reporter who has become a PI and in the course of his job learns something critical to a murder mystery. I found it a bit of a slow starter because I was distracted by the beautiful descriptions and meanderings of some of the early characters. After it took off, I went back to read the first couple of sections and they made better sense. Once the action started, it was a page turner and I stayed up until 4 am to finish it. I just couldn’t think of sleep until I found out what happened. Listening to the actual thoughts of the individuals….talk about character development, oh yes. And as an added bonus, it provoked me to thinking deep thoughts. I won’t take philosophy straight up but I can be seduced into it from a flanking position. I’d highly recommend this book. When I finished, I felt it one of the best mysteries I’d read in a couple of decades and that’s up against most of the bestsellers.

This book defied my expectations. From the cover art alone, I was expecting a throw-back, hard-boiled detective story. But this is really more of a character study wrapped in noir. The depth and complexity of the characters [especially Bronze] set this apart from many books of this genre. We learn more about these characters and their pasts and their motivations than we do about the bad guys’ motivations for committing their various crimes. They are compelling and fascinating characters.

The writing is beautiful. And because of that it is not a fast-paced read. It is filled with analogies and metaphors and vivid descriptions. The rich text invites a slower reading of the story to savor the imagery. That said, it is still a pretty quick read [I read it over a weekend]. Because while it has a slow start, and you may linger over language choices and details, once the plot takes over the story it really flies.

This novel is gritty & dark, emotional, and somehow still uplifting – all within a well-crafted plot. It’s a novel that totally surprised and impressed me. I really enjoyed reading it, and I thank NetGalley, pulpit, and the author for the arc [ with a pub date of Jul 9, 2024].

2.5 stars. The author, Colin Krainin, is a talented writer and capable wordsmith with a twisty plotline. I believe he has a promising future in writing thrillers and mysteries. However, I regret that the style of this book was not for me. I prefer a more straightforward crime thriller without all the muddled and verbose distractions. Potential readers should not be deterred by my misgivings but read the glowing reviews posted by others.

This dense, complex plot required me to stop, rethink, and give it my full attention. The first part of the book proceeded at a slow pace. The storyline fell into the classic noir category of the 1950s but took place in the 1990s in Washington, DC. It was a dark and gritty detective story. At times, it was presented as a literary mystery, and then it seemed too much effort was underway to move it into this genre. With some characters, such as Roth, it was written in a simpler, straightforward manner. I encountered multiple timelines and points of view. The parts involving Bronze and Iris became muddled by streams of consciousness, philosophical wanderings and meandering thoughts that detracted from the crime procedural.

Bronze is a former judo champ and a journalist who now works as a private detective. He has a troubled past, a low self-esteem, a sense of defeat, and is battling alcoholism and would fit in nicely in a classic noir novel. There is also Caroline, a femme fatale. Bronze was hired to follow her to prove her unfaithful behaviour. He discovers she is connected with two recent murders, including her politician husband and a prominent man (among several) with whom she was having an affair.

He lives in the basement apartment of his landlady, Iris's home. Iris is a popular bestselling writer of romance novels who is trying to publish other types of books. Iris watches Bronze and may be in love with him or the idea of him. She is slowly putting his memoirs together.

Roth is a police detective who eventually joins Bronze and Iris while trying to solve recent murders. There is also a cool and calculating international hired serial killer. He will work for anyone willing to pay him a large sum of money, and it is rumoured that the CIA and KGB have hired him in the past. Who does he work for now? Are Roth, Bronze and Iris now in his sights and in danger?

Connections with current murders seem to go back to the killing of a young political intern in the 1980s. Unethical politics and corrupt big business are involved up to the present. The complex plot is unravelled and explained near the end, but I had been struggling and exhausted. By then. I no longer cared about the solution.

This is a noir that doesn’t quite get there. The beginning is jumbled and confusing. The characters are mostly one dimensional and lack verisimilitude. Once the story got going, around the second half of the book the pace picked up and it got more interesting but the rants the author surely heard in that voiceover during a black and white scene didn’t come across successfully. The plot would have worked better just written as a straight procedural but instead it was muddled and uncertain.

Because this starts in Iris' point of view, you could almost think this is a romance. Except that on the first page she isn't just thinking of Bronze, she is thinking of him bleeding. But that thread of almost romance runs through the story.

This is gritty noir fiction at its best. The kind that made me think of Bogart. Perhaps part of the reason I had that image in my mind the entire time is that Bronze reminded me very much of Rick from Casablanca. That elusive broken male that every woman wants and can't have. That broken male who wants every woman but pushes them all away. Not exactly the makings of a classic romance.

But this certainly had all the making of a great noir. The mystery is gritty and dark. You can almost hear Sam Spade growling at the beauty that walks through his door. Wanting her and hating himself for wanting her.

Throughout there is a comment on humanity, on trying--and perhaps failing--to do better, be better.

Very enjoyable read.

ALthough the premise was intriqugin the actual book was definitely not for me. I was not a fan of the policatial talk and I have learned that I am not a fan of noir. If you are a fan of it, you will probably like this book but unfortunately that is not for me.

"Blood and Mascara" by Colin Krainin is a gritty noir mystery set against the backdrop of Washington, DC, in 1997—a city grappling with its own recovery from years of violence, drugs, and social upheaval. The story centers on Bronze Goldberg, a private detective whose life is a tumultuous blend of personal trauma and professional danger. Krainin's novel is a dark, provocative exploration of human nature, though it occasionally stumbles under the weight of its own ambitions.

Bronze Goldberg, the protagonist, is a compelling character, albeit a familiar archetype in the noir genre—a soft-boiled detective in a hard-boiled world, haunted by his past. His latest case, involving the surveillance of a femme fatale named Carolyn, quickly spirals into chaos with the murder of a congressman and the relentless pursuit of an assassin. The stakes are high, and Bronze's journey is fraught with danger and moral ambiguity, making for an engaging, if somewhat predictable, narrative.

The novel's strength lies in its atmosphere and setting. Krainin paints a vivid picture of a city in turmoil, capturing the essence of Washington, DC, during a time of significant change. The backdrop adds depth to the story and enhances the overall mood, immersing readers in a world where danger lurks around every corner. The tension is palpable, and the sense of impending doom keeps the reader invested in Bronze's fate.

However, the plot can feel convoluted at times, with multiple threads weaving in and out of focus. The character of Iris Margaryan, Bronze's landlord and a romance novelist, adds an interesting layer to the story, but her role in the narrative feels somewhat underdeveloped. Her obsessive attention to Bronze and the hinted connection to his past could have been more thoroughly explored to add more depth to the overall plot.

"Blood and Mascara" excels in its portrayal of Bronze's internal struggles and the moral complexities of his world. Krainin delves into the detective's psyche, revealing a man tormented by his history and driven by a desire for redemption. This introspective element adds a layer of emotional weight to the story, elevating it beyond a simple noir mystery.

The novel's pacing is generally well-maintained, though it occasionally drags in parts. The climax is both shocking and satisfying, tying together the various plot threads in a way that leaves a lasting impact. However, some readers may find the ending a bit too abrupt, leaving certain questions unanswered.

Overall, "Blood and Mascara" is a solid entry in the noir genre, offering a dark, atmospheric mystery with a flawed yet fascinating protagonist. While it may not break new ground, it delivers a gripping, emotionally charged story that will appeal to fans of noir fiction. Colin Krainin's novel is a three-star read—engaging, well-written, but not without its flaws. It's a journey into the depths of the human soul that, despite its imperfections, is worth taking.

A more character driven PI & writer led thriller than your average. I really enjoyed it, although I really enjoy noir and all the tropes of the genre, which are all present here. (Tortured alcoholic PI, femme fatales, etc.) I found it more emotional than this genres usually allows, which was a nice change of pace. It was sentimental and maybe even romantic and this suits my current mood! Definitely a well written and exciting thriller novel.

I received an ARC from NetGalley.

Thank you NetGalley for this Arc!

I want to start off this review by saying I don’t believe I was the target audience for this book. I didn’t enjoy this read since I found it extremely political (again that’s not something I typically enjoy but you may) and too descriptive at times especially about woman’s bodies which frankly made me uncomfortable.

The book was interesting in the beginning but I didn't finish it. Different from what I typically read. Just wasn't into it half way through.

I loved the synopsis for this story and that drew me in and had me so interested in this book. At times, I was hooked and enjoyed the noir old school style suspense but at other times, I struggled to get into this one. There were moments where the storyline got derailed and the characters started to think about other things and this distracted me and then led me to get bored. Id have preferred less of this meandering writing process and more of the dark noir suspense and mystery elements. Overall it was a decent read and I'd recommend to a select community of friends who enjoy these types of books.

Unfortunately this book wasn’t quite for me. I enjoy a suspenseful, gripping thriller whereas this one is a slower pace. I appreciated the writing and that for others this book may be amazing.